The Community Outreach Services Coordinator performs duties to support and grow PAWS Chicago outreach program operations, specifically spay/neuter access initiatives, Community Cats, Community Medicine, Pet Food Pantry, and 360 @ CACC. The primary purpose of this role is to ensure all outreach services are being effectively delivered to target area clients. Services include Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), spay/neuter, information on pet wellness, and veterinary resources.
Daily duties include, but are not limited to, spay/neuter transports, TNR field days and trap deliveries, working with volunteers during outreach and TNR efforts, program administration, and on-site program support at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC). The Community Outreach Services Coordinator also plays a key role in engaging pet owners in underserved areas of Chicago. This position is based at PAWS Medical Center, but the Community Outreach Services Coordinator travels and works in targeted Chicago communities as well.
Duties and Responsibilities
Spay/Neuter Outreach
- Coordinate appointments with Spay/Neuter Clinic; including scheduling spay/neuter for qualifying clients via telephone and email, checking in animals for surgery, providing care instructions and making follow-up phone calls to clients.
- Provide transportation for spay/neuter patients in PAWS Chicago vehicles.
- Participate in door-to-door community outreach, outreach events, partnership engagement, and spay/neuter events (off-site and clinic).
Community Cats
- Carry out on-site Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) field days and trap drop-off and pick-up routes in line with program priorities; including preparing supplies, trapping and returning cats in the community, counseling colony caretakers on the feral cat ordinance, and ensuring cats are prepared for surgery.
- Support TNR scheduling and client follow-up in coordination with the Community Cats Program Specialist and Clinic staff; including checking in TNR cats for surgery, providing care instructions, and making follow-up calls to clients.
- Support trap rentals and returns as needed; including checking out traps, instructing clients on use, processing paperwork and updating rental data, making follow-up calls on outstanding trap rentals, and processing returns.
Community Medicine
- Schedule outpatient medical appointments for qualifying clients via telephone and email.
- Provide reception support during Community Medicine clinic hours; including checking in animals for outpatient appointments, processing service agreements, and making follow-up phone calls to clients.
- Liaise with veterinary staff to provide medical information and treatment instructions to clients.
Pet Food Pantry
- Provide day-of support at Pet Food Pantry events as assigned, working under the direction of the program owner.
- Assist with sorting, packing, and managing inventory of pet food and supplies.
360 @ CACC
- Participate in Pet Owner Support shifts on-site at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC).
- Engage pet owners to offer supportive resources, information on pet wellness, and counseling, as needed.
- Schedule spay/neuter and outpatient medical appointments for qualifying clients.
General
- Train and guide volunteers and interns who join outreach and TNR efforts, event support duties, and administrative tasks.
- Perform client follow-up calls/emails, data entry, database maintenance, program reporting, and other administrative tasks as needed.
- Document client “success” stories for promotional purposes.
- Provide excellent customer service to clients, community members, and volunteers.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- One to three years of relevant experience (e.g., customer service, program coordination, community outreach, or animal welfare).
- Current, valid driver’s license and willingness to drive PAWS vehicles.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bilingual in English and Spanish, or the ability to understand Spanish.
- Associate’s degree or higher.
- TNR or community cat experience.
- Experience engaging or coordinating volunteers.
- Experience in social services or public health.
- Experience in an animal shelter, veterinary clinic, or similar animal welfare setting.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Excellent customer service skills, with the ability and desire to work with the public, clients, and volunteers.
- Strong relationship-building skills, with a commitment to building trust with diverse communities and an understanding of the barriers residents may face in accessing care and resources.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills that represent the mission and values of PAWS Chicago in a clear and enthusiastic manner.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines and stay focused on priorities.
- Comfort with data entry and spreadsheets, and the ability to learn new database and scheduling systems (such as Clinic HQ, Shelterluv, Salesforce, and Smartsheet).
- Creative and practical approach to problem-solving, with the flexibility to adapt as priorities change.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a dynamic environment.
- Ability to remain professional and make sound decisions in emotional or high-pressure situations.
- Passion for animals and working knowledge of animal welfare issues.
- Ability to work outdoors in varied weather, and to lift and carry humane traps and equipment.
- Must be available to work pre-determined evening, weekend, and holiday hours.
- Passion for animals and animal welfare.
Physical Requirements
- The Community Outreach Services Coordinator must be able to physically handle dogs and cats with different temperaments.
- Ability to lift and transport cat traps, dog crates, pet carriers, bagged and canned pet food, cat litter, etc.
- Physical stamina and ability to perform tasks that may require bending, lifting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, and prolonged standing or walking.
- Walking and moving about to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
- Ability to lift 50 lbs occasionally, 30 lbs frequently and 10 lbs constantly.
- Ability to perform repetitive motions and work comfortably in small or confined spaces.
PAWS Chicago Values-in-Action
- Respect: for each and every life.
- Community: of people and organizations committed to helping homeless pets.
- Innovation: to constantly improve best practices and seek out new ideas and strategies to save more lives. To be a Learning Center that evolves and grows.
- Pro-activity: to solve difficult problems and to be prepared to offer emergency and crisis support.
- Transparency: that informs the public about the fate of homeless animals.
- Education: that raises awareness about the realities that homeless animals face in the community and across the nation, providing a forum for people to get involved in effecting change and promoting and supporting reasonable pet ownership.
- Sustainability: through financial management practices that maximize the impact and reach of our resources and ensue that PAWS Chicago will always be a resource for homeless animals.
- Compassion: towards all people and animals.
Benefits
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.
- Paid time off, including vacation and sick days.
